The Chronicles of Etinerra

The Doom of Man has fallen upon the Lands.

Littlelings

Littlelings (halflings) come from family clans, similar to the Romani of Europe. They travel together across the lands of Men, between their homelands of the North East, and the Clan Lands to the far west.

Littlelings are not a well-known race. Humans and elves don’t encourage contact with littlelings, looking at them with feelings ranging from indifference to a general distrust and suspicion. There are old stories and reputations for littlelings being bandits, wily mercenaries or rich merchants. Littlelings tend to stick to their own kind and don’t traffic with humans except to trade with them.

Nothing could be further from the truth. LIttlelings are fiercely loyal to their clans and, for the most part, very welcoming to other littleling clans. Most littlelings are expected to learn how to fight and serve for at least six years in their local militia, but the more talented littlelings are summoned by white mice to the Porkbroil School of Thievery. Thieving is seen as a respectable activity for a littleling — though the term thief was more correctly translated to rogue, which most successful littlelings do by trade (though stealing from other littlelings is a disgraceful act).

The littlelings nation is located in the north-east area of the Lands of Men, although they are allowed to set up nomadic clan camps across the lands, by treaty with elves and humans. Most clan camps are grudgingly allowed by local nobility, although the majority of the time, it is in poor areas or areas that aren’t very hospitable. The largest Littleling city is Cheddon, which serves as a trading city and embassy between Littlelings, Elves and Men.